Councillor Amos pushing for Moonee traffic improvements and seeking MP support

CITY of Coffs Harbour Councillor Paul Amos is requesting council support to improve traffic safety and flow into and out of the new Moonee North residential area.

The fast-growing area has one access point in and out, at the roundabout on Moonee Beach Road.

There are two informal access points onto the Pacific Highway, which Cr Amos said had been operating without incident for some time.

In a Notice of Motion to be presented at the City of Coffs Harbour Council’s ordinary meeting on Thursday 29 January, Cr Amos will ask the council to support his plan.

He will request that Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh be asked to “make formal representations to Transport NSW to seek a permanent slip lane solution southbound directly into the new Moonee residential estates from the Pacific Highway.”

He will also ask the council to “endorse a long-term strategic position of supporting and exploring funding options for a northern entry access point into the new Moonee estates via Tiki Road and a bridge over Skinners Creek.”

“Northern access should have been considered essential in the formulation of the planning for this estate,” Cr Amos said.

“Retrofitting a northern access is not ideal, but is now the only option to endorse for both safety reasons and the fact that the new estate will now deliver up to at least 868 dwellings.

“Even at a much lower density than that, the collector road capacity, as per council’s Land Development Guidelines of 6,000 trips per day, will certainly be breached.

“The threshold for the “Austroads guide to traffic management Part 12” will also be greatly exceeded.

“A northern access solution is needed,” concluded Cr Amos.

Council’s meeting agendas are available from the Thursday prior to the meeting from Council’s website.

Minutes are available on the Friday following the meeting.

By Mike HELY